Have you heard of lagman? If you’ve ever been to (or are from) Central Asia, you’ve most certainly tried this dish in cafes or at home! Lagman is a noodle dish, many say Uighar in origin, enjoyed widely in Central Asia. While it’s often made with meat, it’s very easy to make this dish vegan, and also very easy to use vegetables you have on hand to make your own version. At friends’ homes in Kazakhstan, I had delicious vegan versions of the dish that included vegetables available by season. Sometimes the noodles are served in a broth, and sometimes they are lightly fried and served along with a vinegar/soy sauce. For this recipe, I’ve made a decidedly California-influenced version, using store-bought thick wheat noodles and summer vegetables. When I lived in Japan, my friends from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan would use udon noodles as an easy substitute for homemade noodles. You can always get adventurous and make your own noodles as well! Here goes the version that you see pictured!
Ingredients for two servings:
Cubed butternut squash and baked tofu, roughly equal portions (about a cup each)
One small zucchini, chopped into uniform pieces
One head of kale, massaged and chopped
Spices: cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, salt and pepper to taste
½ cup of vegetable broth
One tomato, blended in a blender with the vegetable broth
One package of noodles, cooked
Method:
Add just a bit of oil to a pan and once hot, stir a pinch or so of each spice together for about 30 seconds. Add butternut squash, sauté at low to medium heat for 10 minutes or so. Then add the zucchini, tofu and kale, followed by the broth and tomato combo, let sauté for another 5-10 minutes. Add noodles and let the broth simmer down. If you’d like more of a soup-like consistency, just add more broth.
You can switch out your vegetables - common ones used include peppers, carrots, and even potatoes. I use tofu for protein. You can also add fresh dill, mint, parsley, or cilantro as a topping, and serve with soy sauce or chili oil. While I may be veering from the more ‘traditional’ version, this one is super healthy and may be something you keep coming back to! Enjoy!
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